Finally it's here, the first HS race of the season! Central Florida Trail Riders (CFTR) was the hosting club and they had acquired a new piece of property in Bartow,Fl. After the first race being cancelled due to water issues a month ago all of FTR was chomping at the bit to start the season and the turnout reflected that with a packed parking area. Sat course is 7 miles and Sunday is 10.

Saturday dawned with clear skies after steady rain on Friday night. Haley headed out for practice lap and I waited....and waited...and waited. Much later than I was comfortable with she rolled in with the report that she had gotten stuck 4 or 5 times and wasn't going to race..it was unsafe,no fun,etc. I left her alone as the morning marched on as I heard about some re-routes around the rougher areas. Between myself telling her the course would dry out/reroutes, the only way to learn to ride in mud is to....ride in mud, and her mother telling her she had paid 50$ and Haley was going to do at least one lap like it or not, soon she was on the line. She got a good start and headed off to see what fate held for her.

After all the worrying that took place on the practice lap I was surprisingly calm as I waited for her to pop out of the woods..there she is! She was actually looking focused as she headed out for lap 2..then lap 3. Seems the course had gotten much better and she was having fun!

Race over, fun had, and the thanks to her mother for making her ride completed. EE soft seat was a big hit too.

The rain gods were kind the rest of Sat as we stayed dry and the course got better for my Sunday 10:30 race start. I have moved up to the Super senior class this year as my plan to not get faster just older continues full speed. I'll be racing guys 45-50 yrs old so maybe I'll get better finishes...or not. Our line is full with 19 guys as the horn blows and I'm off. Good start puts me top five after the first few corners.

(Notice new white fender after enduro creek dive)

The course is rough at times but more importantly..fast ! I like those kind as I suck at corners and I'm soon through after 2 laps in a solid 5th. I'm passed by Frank G. (#325) who is a race winner and fast guy in the class. I keep up for a few miles hoping to get a pull from him and it's working. I lose him in a tighter section as I come up on a slower rider in a bad spot but I gain some confidence. After a while I'm passed by good friend Marcelo D.(#15) and I latch onto him. I'm pacing myself off of him and we run for a few miles as we come up on one of many muddy ditches. Marcelo dives in just as he hits the shifter with his foot and finds neutral...diver down! I hear him cursing as he is thrown off into the manure-infused mix and I chuckle inside as I ride off thinking I'll never see him again....or not.

The club is doing a great job of rerouting us around the widening mud holes and whooped out sections as i try and look for new lines. Lap 3 is almost over when I'm passed by #712 on a Honda..he's fast. After we pull through the chicane to start the 4th and last lap #712 pulls over like he's done for the day so I'm back to 5th. I start riding conservative...don't screw this up I think. 3/4's of the way through lap 4 I come up on a mud hole I just blasted through before, but now follow a slower rider to the left and seemingly safer route. He stopped for a second and now I'm screwed as I had forgotten to down shift and am stuck in 4th. The mud is so thick I can't rock the bike to drop down gears so I get off the bike and try to use my hand to downshift...by goes Marcelo (#15)...cr@p now I'm out of the trophy hunt !!! In what seems like forever I finally get going knowing I have to track #15 back down and pass him in what little times left. A mile or 2 later I'm back on his heels so I decide to just sit behind him and wait hoping he's make or a mistake I could capitalize on. 1/4 mile to go and he let's off just for a second and I'm ready..on the gas and the pass is made! Keep it together to the finish and..

Finally got one in the "B" class ! so tired but it feels so good. The magnetic screw/bolt holder is now stuck to the fridge at the house as a reminder how good the weekend was. Hope the rest of the season goes as well for us both.